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Prologue
DATE
July - April 2023
Type
Volunteering
Role
Volunteer
Interviewer
Translator
Interviewer
Translator
Deliverables
Exhibitions & Stories to raise awareness on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
#Step into the shadowsSkills
Interview
Story-telling
Creativity
Story-telling
Creativity
VACEP 3, the Vietnam Adverse Childhood Experience Program 3, emerged from the shadows as a collaborative effort led by SCDI Vietnam, bringing together esteemed professors and eager students from both VinUniversity and Cornell University.
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I was tasked with interviewing the storyteller and crafting the Vietnamese version of their tale. Inspired by the storyteller’s name, I proposed the idea of conveying the narrative through scents. Our team created four scent bottles for the exhibition, inviting the audience to engage with our story on a deeper level.
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Chapter I: Preparation
As one who constantly probes the depths of humanity, this opportunity beckoned to me, offering insight into the intricate tapestry of people's journeys. The program unfolded in two phases. The first phase give participants with the essential knowledge needed to conduct interviews with the storytellers, all conducted in the digital ether of Zoom.
Building upon the foundations of earlier works, this program emerges as the third and final phase of the VACEP series by SCDI. Its mission: to raise awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences through the untold narratives of those we call storytellers, voices rising from the heart of Hanoi.
Building upon the foundations of earlier works, this program emerges as the third and final phase of the VACEP series by SCDI. Its mission: to raise awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences through the untold narratives of those we call storytellers, voices rising from the heart of Hanoi.
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Chapter II: BEGinning
The second phase draws us into the shadows, where we conduct interviews and forge narratives for each storyteller. In this offline chapter, I found myself allied with two remarkable students from Cornell and another from VinUni. Together, we navigated the depths of our storyteller's journey, intertwining their development into a haunting tale that resonates in the silence.
Our storyteller emerged from the shadows as a middle-aged woman from Hai Ba Trung District, her past marked by the dual specters of addiction and drug dealing. Twice imprisoned, she now stood at a crossroads, having moved beyond her struggles for a time, striving to reclaim her life. Through four illuminating interviews, we peeled back the layers of her story, uncovering the haunting echoes of her childhood, her family, education, and social circumstances, as well as her present life and aspirations.
Our storyteller emerged from the shadows as a middle-aged woman from Hai Ba Trung District, her past marked by the dual specters of addiction and drug dealing. Twice imprisoned, she now stood at a crossroads, having moved beyond her struggles for a time, striving to reclaim her life. Through four illuminating interviews, we peeled back the layers of her story, uncovering the haunting echoes of her childhood, her family, education, and social circumstances, as well as her present life and aspirations.
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With her story as our guide, our team crafted a biography that traced her character development, culminating in the creation of an exhibition booth for VinUni students and faculty, a gateway into her journey escaping the darkness.
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Chapter III: Final draft
In a brief yet significant span, I believe our team crafted a sanctuary where she felt safe to unveil the tapestry of her life, sharing the raw emotions and struggles that lingered in the shadows. For those who wish to delve deeper, the details of our work await on the SCDI website.
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